Softball: Midd South tops Midd North for first time in nine meetings on extra-inning walk-off

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Ryan Ross

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Middletown North vs Middletown South softball on April 20, 2018 in Middletown, NJ.(Photo: Peter Ackerman)Buy Photo

MIDDLETOWN – It took a wacky, back-and-forth, extra-inning game on a blustery, cool spring afternoon for the Middletown South High School softball team to vanquish a familiar foe it had not beaten in quite some time.

Having lost their last nine games against crosstown rivals Middletown North, including a 1-0 loss in this year’s opening day game, the Eagles were staring a 10th consecutive loss to the Lions in the face after giving up two runs to break an eight-all tie in the top of the ninth inning.

But the Lions blinked first.

Scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth, the Eagles rallied for a wild 11-10 victory over the Lions on a Jillian Bigos walk-off single on Friday afternoon. The 10th time was the charm for the Eagles.

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Middletown South catcher Brooke Coney pulls in the throwand tags out Middletown North's Cara McNulty in the fourth inning. Middletown North vs Middletown South softball on April 20, 2018 in Middletown, NJ.
Peter Ackerman

Middletown South’s Jillian Bigos is called out for interference as she tries but fails to get out of way as Middletown North catcher Baggy Cerbo and third baseman Milena Wilton both try to pull in a pop-up. Middletown North vs Middletown South softball on April 20, 2018 in Middletown, NJ.
Peter Ackerman

“Midd North is a very, very good team, and they’re a tough win every time they step on the field, so I knew they were going to give us a heck of a game,” Middletown South coach Lisa Smith said. “This team we have here at Midd South is something special. They really, really want to win and make a statement for themselves. They believe in themselves, and I believe in them.”

With the Lions (8-2) scoring two runs in the top of the ninth to grab a 10-8 lead, Middletown South (7-1) was three outs away from another crushing defeat to the other team in town. But junior Sophie Wilson had other ideas as she launched a towering solo home run off Lions’ ace Malori Bell to start the bottom half of the inning.

With the deficit now at 10-9, Wilson’s deep bomb triggered a two-out rally. After Bell recorded two outs and two Midd South runners reached, Bigos approached the plate with runners on first and second and no outs to spare. The senior is a slap-hitter, so her goal was simply to reach base so that the bigger bats in the lineup could win the game.

Bigos did what she set out to do as she perfectly placed a ball between the third baseman and the shortstop, but then a stroke of luck helped out the Eagles at the best time. The left fielder misplayed the ball as it rolled towards the left field wall. Senior Jennifer Kennedy easily scored to tie the game at 10, and then freshman Lia Simoniello raced around the bases and scored the winning run all the way from first base.

“I was just trying to get myself on base so Alyssa Carfora could come up, or at least bring in the tying run,” Bigos said. “I still can’t believe it, it’s really a surreal feeling. I’ve been on the team since freshman year. Winning today was really amazing.”

Prior to her rally-starting homer, Wilson pitched admirably in relief, but let up two runs in the ninth inning as the Eagles fell behind. Wilson did not want to be the one that allowed her team to lose to the Lions yet again.

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Middletown South’s Jillian Bigos is called out for interference as she tries but fails to get out of way as Middletown North catcher Baggy Cerbo and third baseman Milena Wilton both try to pull in a pop-up. Middletown North vs Middletown South softball on April 20, 2018 in Middletown, NJ. (Photo: Peter Ackerman)

“At that point, we’ve lost to North the last nine times, I did not want to put up with it,” Wilson said. “I knew we were going to win this game. My team is going to come together, and the only way we’re going to do it is if I start it right now. I had to start the rally.”

Bell is truly a dominant pitcher, and the Eagles experienced that first hand on Mar. 31 when the junior allowed just one run, one walk, three hits and added 12 strikeouts against them. Prior to Friday, Bell had allowed only four earned runs in 45.2 innings of work.

The Eagles picked up on Bell’s tendencies after that game and turned the tables against the impressive ace.

“We knew she was going to keep throwing that rise ball at us like she like she was doing to us last game,” Bigos said. “We were ready for it. She still got us with it, but we were looking for it.”